Jimmy Stewart: It's a Wonderful American Life

James Maitland Stewart is that rare and admirable human being who could truthfully claim that everyone liked him. During his lifetime and in the years since, it was virtually impossible to find anyone recording a bad word against him, or relating an anecdote in which he appeared less than a gentleman. His distinctive drawl, coupled with his hesitant, stuttering vocal delivery made his voice instantly recognizable, and when it was heard, it was heeded. Late in his long and distinguished career, he provided the voiceover for a major soup company’s television commercials. He did not appear in the advertisements. Campbell’s reported hundreds of telephone calls to their offices, demanding to know if that was really Jimmy’s voice promoting their soup. It really was.
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[@SEAZNDragon]

I always found Jimmy Stewart's military career the more fascinating part of him. Not only he was one of the few established celebrities to have an active combat role but rose to command status during World War II. I'm sure someone will gripe it was due to Stewart's celebrity but during the war you couldn't hide screw ups, at least for long. Especially with an bomber where a small slip up could mean at least 10 deaths in one go.

[@TickleMeChelmno]

Charles Lindbergh

[@csc7225]

When I was a senior in HS, I went to a Washington DC mock congress with hundreds of other HS students from across the country, One night we went to a dinner theatre where they served pizza and showed "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." The last thing almost all of us wanted to see was an old B&W movie. By the end of the movie, however, everyone was clapping, yelling and whooping for Jimmy Stewart. His good character came through in his roles. Such a great person and actor.

[@davidcarbone3385]

I like that he learned how to play the accordion and swept floors because I did both as a young kid. But, I also grew up loving his performances in the few movies of his that I watched. I saw him read his poem on the JC show, and it was very touching, simple yet very elegant. We need more Jimmy Stewarts.

[@JPriz416]

Stewart walked the talk. He went to war and saw combat unlike john Wayne. As a vet I salute Jimmy Stewart.

[@nuqwestr]

Wayne and Stewart were friends, both worked for John Ford, also a war vet, in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". If both Ford and Stewart were okay with it, what you think is of no concern in comparison.

[@bosarvinski907]

He also went from the rank of Corporal to Colonel in less than 4 years (he got commissioned). Methods were put in place to keep him out of combat in the Army Air Corps, and he overcame it. Amazing man.

[@paulyricca3881]

🥃👴🏻AWW SHUT UP

[@paulyricca3881]

@@nuqwestr 🥃👴🏻 OH YEAH? 👗⬅️ YOURS??

[@paulyricca3881]

@@bosarvinski907 🥃👴🏻WRONG! JOHN 🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖WAYNE GOT MORE MEDALS THAN ANYBODY CASE CLOSED.

[@DFSJR1203]

My family went to visit my fathers Cousin and while eating lunch outside a older man and woman asked if they could come over. It turns out the older man and woman were in fact James Stewart and his wife. We found out they were friends with my fathers cousin and lived near by. Both James and his wife were so nice. When I heard he passed a few years later I was saddened.

[@itsjeninMass]

This was great. He was one of the few classic actors I truly, truly loved. I have never seen a bad film with Jimmy Stewart in it.

[@NeighborhoodOfBlue]

My favorite actor of all time

[@kasession]

Loved him in 'Harvey'. I tune in every time I see it on Turner Classic Movies.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

3:05 - Chapter 1 - The hardware store 12:40 - Chapter 2 - The eligible bachelor 14:10 - Chapter 3 - Off to war 16:10 - Chapter 4 - Rebirth in the post war era 20:00 - Chapter 5 - Television 21:20 - Chapter 6 - American icon 23:35 - Conclusion

[@theresalaux5655]

I loved Jimmy ❤

[@foxmccloud7055]

I heard that in "It's A Wonderful Life" that Jimmy Stewart wasn't acting in the film because he was suffering from "Shell Shock" (aka PTSD) from his experience in World War II and found the experience on the film therapeutic.

[@MesoGamer10k]

It's a wonderful life. It was a great film. But my favourite film was winchester 73

[@samuelzins5089]

It's a shame my generation isn't as familiar with Jimmy stewart. One of my favorite actors and seemed like a great guy. Loved Rear Window and It's a Wonderful Life

[@barbarak2836]

Also The Shop Around the Corner.

[@samuelzins5089]

@@barbarak2836 I haven't seen that, but I'll keep an eye out for when it's streamable. As i wrote that, i realized how many movies he's in that would be listable like rope and the man who shot liberty valance.

[@rreif5934]

Destry Rides Again was the basis for Blazing Saddles

[@lukejohnston7785]

I'm only 34 but he's one of my favourites and it's a wonderful life is an annual viewing ritual.

[@25Erix]

It took me until my 30s before I learned Jimmy was Wily Burp in Fieval Goes West. I had seen The Shootist and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance before that revelation and never made the connection. Great actor and a good foil to John Wayne, really.

[@auntheidi9389]

Great actor, great flier & commander, great man.

[@shackdaddy7106]

I did not know that James Stewart played the accordion. I wonder if Johnny Carson ever asked him to play it on the Tonight Show. That would’ve been awesome.

[@TM-yn4iu]

Excellent video - both presentation and matter, Stewart was an exceptional actor and soldier/airman. I was always impressed. But the story is a little deeper. Thanks

[@jjsc4396]

I don’t think it’s possible to express how hairy and dangerous being a Liberator crew member over Europe was in WWII.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

Such a great career. Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a top 5 film for me.

[@patriciaposthumus6684]

One of my all-time favorite actors. There isn't a film of his that I've seen that i haven't liked. Though i did enjoy the Shootest, two of my absolute favorites ate when he portraid Charles Limburg and the late great Glen Miller.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thanks.

[@vonries]

That was a really good video, but when your subject is Jimmy that's easy. No one I've ever heard of had anything bad to say about him. That was a nice stroll down memory lane.

[@eddyz7567]

An absolute Legend, Patriot, and Icon. A role model for all. It’s a Wonderful Life is also my all time favorite film and I honestly aspire to be George Bailey in my own life. Great video, thank you.

[@harrisonmiller6475]

You have a great voice Eric! Looking forward 2 more videos from u and your crew!

[@bargainhuntbricks420]

Love the beer story. He understood morale was more important than regulations.

[@anthonybird546]

That's interesting that Stewart's family would go to Princeton, to run a hardware store

[@skyden24195]

Two of my favorite episodes of "The Jack Benny Program" include Jimmy Stewart and his wife Gloria. In one episode, the couple are making a fictional film which Jack Benny pushes himself in to be the fictional film's director, much to the chagrin of Jimmy and Gloria. The other "Jack Benny" episode has Jimmy and Gloria fictitiously celebrating their wedding anniversary at a high-class restaurant which is intruded in on by Jack Benny and his over-the-top, studio-phone-operator date. When watching these episodes (which both are, at the time of this posting, available on KZbin) you can see how close Jimmy and Gloria are, and how much they enjoy working with Jack Benny, as well as how good of friends they all appear to be. The episodes are really funny, and Gloria Stewart shows how well she can handle being on stage with her much more famous and experienced husband.

[@abdulmuq]

Hello again Mr. Science communicator 😂😂😂

[@chrislittle2366]

Definitely a great video well Done Biographics team

[@sandybarnes887]

Jimmy reaching out to stroke his head but Beau wasn't there always brings tears to my eyes.

[@Froggievilleus]

James also did a season of radio in 1953 on NBC with the Six Shooter. If you are a fan, episodes are easy to find online.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content Eric! Suggestion: Henry III of england 😊😊😊

[@kendellstewart2090]

Makes me proud to be a Stewart

[@Mikkelltheimmortal]

OMG now I want to watch a Jimmy Stewart Marathon. I have so many fond memories that were influenced by Jimmy.

[@user-kv2vc3is8h]

Watch Rope. It really is underated.

[@user-cz2bh3yl9y]

I love him in Alfred Hitchcock mivies

[@anthonybird546]

That's awesome that he went from man about town, went to war, came back and built model planes and railroad dioramas with Henry Fonda.

[@nuqwestr]

Least known best film: "Seventh Heaven" 1937

[@chrisjones4145]

0:46 LoL Jokes on you Eric, I listen to all the "Simon-verse" and YT in general at 1.5 speed. Really helps save time on the tangents/rants.

[@WashuShiori]

This was well done. Just one thing, his wife was not widowed, she was divorced. Her ex husband had nothing to do with the boys. Jimmy adopted the boys and to them he was their father. There is also a great museum in his home town of Indiana Pa.

[@evelyntodd9946]

Glad to see Jade. I don't remember which character he voiced in American Tail.

[@jimmiles9144]

General Stewart. A man’s man and yet vulnerable. Loved his films, but mainly Liberty Valance. The contrasts were incredible. Check out his poem he read for his dog on Carson. Brought Carson to tears.

[@bethanywicker8990]

Indiana, Pa yeah?

[@abrahamkline8812]

Indiana, Pennsylvania's own!

[@jakejargstorf]

Did Simon sell the channel?

[@dreddfan01]

Never been the 1st to view a vid before 😁👍

[@ericthompson3982]

It's a Wonderful Life, as much as I love it, is probably my least favorite Jimmy Stewart movie. From Harvey: "my mother used to tell me that you can be ever so smart, or ever so kind. Well, I spent much of my life being ever so smart. I find it much more pleasant to be ever so kind."

[@laneyashtonc]

Gloria was divorced not widowed

[@sycamorestreet7953]

If that microphone is a Blue Yeti, you need to be addressing it side-on, not speaking into it from the top.

[@BillFlanigan-rd2ww]

He also played buttons the clown in the greatest show on earth

[@remcoasselbergs3298]

To me he embodies what america strives to be, like Sidney poitier. And nowadays tom Hanks and denzel Washington. The few that not just aspire, but reach that level. But Jimmy was the only one that was part of freeing my country. So, no brainer, the best.

[@Aboz]

Interesting how you discuss Marlene Dietrich's last name but mispronounced her first. 3 syllables- mar-LAY-na. Also, it's Olivia de-HAV-e-land, not de-HAL-i-vand, and Sal MIN-e-o, not mi-NAY-o. Other than that, you did ok.

[@DesiGalCrochet]

4:21 Did any other rejected Princeton applicants feel a pang in their heart at the casually spoken (male/white/LEGACY) privilege?? I *wish* !!!

[@phoenixdundee]

It would be really great to tone down the use of image enhancement, some of them look ridiculous. And adding film artifacts to everything wears really thin. We really don't mind a lower resolution and noisy picture from the 1920s etc, removing all the facial features using "AI" adds nothing.

[@iangregory3719]

William "Lord Haw Haw" Joyce was not a British traitor....because he wasn't British, he was American, born in Brooklyn to an Irish father and an English born, American mother. At the time of his death, as the last person hanged in Britain for treason he was a German Citizen. He was American, or Irish, or even German but he wasn't, and never was British.

[@grandpalarry7776]

Speaking of being 'corny,' your bogus vocalization about Stewart's role in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" at 11:08 added nothing to the storyline and was ridiculous.

[@zaco-km3su]

Jimmy Stewart was a leader. A general and an accomplished actor. Remarkable man.

[@acdragonrider]

I feel you don’t appreciate his Hitchcock films and collab with the master of suspense enough. Just my critique.

[@smlince]

Simon is superior.

[@hollydavid69]

Who?

[@natsune09]

This is who we should be honoring and cheering for, not that faker and coward John "I'm Too Scared To Serve In WW2" Wayne. This video doesn't go into detail of his war record, but he flew more missions than was required of him.

[@RobSchellinger]

How so? Republic Pictures wouldn't let him serve.

[@natsune09]

@@RobSchellinger That isn't why. He used a variety of excuses, and it boils down to him being a coward. Many actors served, if he wanted to a movie studio couldn't stop him.

[@RobSchellinger]

​@@natsune09They can when they threatened to sue him if he broke his contract. He had initially been issued deferments due to his age and family status. He had tried to get into service, but he was the only contracted actor at Republic. There's no evidence that he was a coward. Zip, zero, nada

[@big8dog887]

Interestingly, and I may be wrong, but I don't recall Stewart ever doing a WWII movie, which darn near everyone else who was anyone did.

[@RobSchellinger]

@@big8dog887 Top of my head, Glenn Miller Story is the closest.

[@EGSBiographies-om1wb]

84th

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

Jimmy Stewart was the Tom Hanks of his day, and vice versa.

[@DrRexie]

We have found the traditional wholesome that would lead to people like Keanu reeves

[@imagea108]

the switch from simon to karl was fine, but this feels like a viewership purge. best of luck, but it's not the same.

[@bornforthc1247]

Unsubbed though.

[@murrayscott9546]

Maybe tp my detriment but I've never seen Wonderful Life. Too many parodies? Seems kinna corny.

[@rogerpenske2411]

A Democrat Administration a swamp? Say it ain’t so!

[@scottwilson420]

Bring back bald guy the hosts now suck since he went unsubscribing